Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
by Predec2
Summary: Short post 513 one-shot for our boys. Not much of a plot here, mainly fluff, but hope you enjoy!


"So it seems that Sonny Boy takes after you instead of me, then; although I don't think his 2nd grade teacher saw his artistic endeavor in quite the same way, though." Brian had just gotten done regaling his partner with how Gus had been attracted to a new set of finger paints he had discovered in his classroom during lunch break and had taken it upon himself to 'redecorate' the walls of his classroom for his teacher, but from the look on Justin's face he seemed to be presently distracted by something else.

Brian paused in his retelling of Gus's latest antics in school to stare over at his beautiful partner's face. "What? Why are you looking so smug all of a sudden, Mr. Taylor? It's just pure coincidence that he takes after you in the creative department; I'll make an ad man out of him yet, though," he told Justin with determination, curling his lips under playfully.

Justin smiled in amusement at his place from across the hotel's dining room table as he looked over at Brian's dinner plate. "You do realize you've managed to consume most of that 'yellow, squid-like shit' you so eloquently called my spaghetti squash marinara earlier despite your vehement protest to the contrary that you wouldn't eat it, don't you?" He reached one long-fingered hand over toward Brian as he said with a smile, "In fact...The evidence is still all over your face." He grinned as he took his index finger and swiped it gently across the side of Brian's mouth where some residual marinara sauce remained. Taking his finger, he locked his gaze on Brian's face as he took it into his mouth and sucked the thick, red liquid off, watching as Brian's eyes darkened in response. "Mmmm," he couldn't help moaning softly in reaction as his eyes twinkled back at his lover's. "Messy boy," he scolded Brian in a husky tone that went straight to his lover's cock.

The dual overhead lights in the opulent New York hotel suite were turned down low to compliment the soft, flickering glow from the two candles on the table. Both men had had enough libation by now - Justin a couple of gin and tonics, Brian a couple of ample goblets of red wine - to give them both a pleasant, warm buzz, but even without the advantage of the liquor's effects, they would have both found themselves drunk anyway - on love. It was absurdly romantic - the muted lighting, the vase ringed with yellow roses, the intimate ambiance, and the soft jazz playing in the background; but at the moment Brian and Justin only had eyes for each other. It wouldn't have mattered if they were in an exclusive suite at the Ritz or at a Motel Six. What mattered was that after a year of long-distance commuting from Pittsburgh to New York and back, they were still together and still making it work. It was hell when they were apart, but they never _had_ had a 'conventional' type of relationship anyway; these moments like this when they could be together, then, were that much sweeter and that much more intense. And while they knew eventually somehow they would be together all the time, for now it had to be enough.

"Wine?" Brian asked softly as he stared into Justin's eyes.

Justin smiled softly as he shook his head. "No, thanks," he whispered. "I would like _something_ from you, though."

Brian stared into the beautiful, pale face, a face that was a little older now but no less magnificent. "Anything," came unbidden to his lips.

Justin placed his cloth napkin down on the table and pushed his chair back to stand up. "Dance with me," he softly implored as he stood next to Brian. His partner hesitated for just a moment before he smiled back at him as he, too, placed his napkin aside and stood up to take his partner's hand. He gently pulled Justin a little deeper into an open area of the combination living room/dining room suite as their bodies came together as one, their clasped hands lying between them on their chests.

Brian's heart skipped a beat as Justin lifted his gaze to meet his and they began to slowly sway in time to the sensuous saxophone melody permeating the room. Justin laid his head against Brian's chest and placed his free hand around Brian's neck as Brian slid his arm around his partner's slender waist. "I think this is one of the things I miss the most," he heard Justin sigh in contentment as they continued to rock from side to side.

Brian pulled back just enough to silently urge Justin to gaze up at him. "I must be losing my touch then, Sunshine," he murmured in jest. "I would have thought this might take a backseat to some other activities we enjoy on a frequent basis."

Justin peered up at him. "You know what I mean," he gently chided him as Brian smiled down at him, tongue in cheek. "I miss _this_," he struggled to explain as they continued to gently sway together. "Your touch. Your smell. Your voice. How you make me feel so protected...So loved when I'm in your arms." He flushed a little in embarrassment over his over-the-top sentimentality as he averted his gaze downward, only to hear Brian unexpectedly whisper in his velvety rich voice, "I miss all those things, too."

He raised his eyes to meet his partner's loving hazel ones at the sound of the heartfelt confession. He couldn't help the delighted smile that spread across his face as he leaned up on his tiptoes to meet Brian's lips for a tender kiss. One sort of dancing stopped at that moment to be replaced by another as their kiss deepened, Brian's arms sliding around Justin's waist to pull him as close against his body as he physically could, his love and desire for his partner evident in his body's quickening reaction to his overture.

One of Justin's hands curled around Brian's neck to push their lips closer together as the other hand languidly drew circles across his partner's back while they kissed, his own body heat rising in response to Brian's caresses. They both knew where this foreplay was heading, and it had been way too long since the last coupling, but for some reason tonight neither were in a hurry to culminate their reunion in their typical way, preferring instead to simply savor each other's presence initially before moving to their king-sized bed in the next room.

At last their kiss ended, both men's breaths blowing rapidly between thoroughly ravaged lips. Justin gently caressed the nape of Brian's neck as he gazed up into the gorgeous face, now lined slightly with the advent of age and wisdom from the past year. It was still the most wondrous face in the universe, though.

Brian locked his hands behind Justin's waist, drinking in the mesmerizing blue eyes as he smiled down at his lover. He was so proud of Justin - had always been proud of him for his courage, his temerity in the face of stodgy conventionality, and the way that he always remained true to himself. It had served him well during the past year as he had made his place in the intricate maze known as the New York City art world. And despite the enormous, insurmountable odds, he had succeeded - beautifully. No, his name wasn't on the lips of every art aficionado, patron, editor, or critic in the city; no one, no matter how creative, innovative, and talented they were could do that in such a short amount of time and in such an enormous concrete jungle as the Big Apple. But he had made several inroads into making his name known where it counted to the point where his artwork was now displayed in a few smaller art galleries scattered around the boroughs of Manhattan, and had garnered enough success that he could afford a tiny efficiency apartment in Chelsea while he painted in a cooperatively-owned studio with five other artists. To Brian, that meant his fiercely independent partner had succeeded quite well.

"What?" Justin asked him softly, noting the intense, introspective expression on Brian's face.

Brian shook his head slightly in reassurance. "Nothing," he murmured softly as he smiled down at his lover, his voice choking up a little with emotion. "I was just thinking..."

Justin studied him silently for a moment, knowing not to rush Brian before his partner confessed what he had been thinking. "I was just thinking how fucking proud I am of you, Justin Taylor. And how much...How much I love you."

"Brian..." The response was part reverent prayer, part pleasure over the unexpected declaration. "I think that's about the most wonderful thing you've ever said to me." He planted another quick kiss on Brian's lips before he added, "I happen to think we're both pretty unstoppable - as long as we're together." He played with the back of Brian's hair as he admitted, "I just wish these damn separations weren't so far apart, that's all."

"Justin, we've discussed this..."

"I know," his partner replied wistfully as he gazed up into Brian's luminous eyes. "And I know it's just temporary. But it hurts so much when we're apart - in every way imaginable. You know I haven't had a decent night's sleep since I left the loft? That is, at least when you're not here with me or I'm not back in the Pitts. I've gotten accustomed to lying next to you, hearing your soft snoring when you lie on your back by my side..." His voice lowered to a whisper when he admitted, "Falling asleep when you're still inside me..."

Brian curled his lips under wryly. "Why do I hear a song from _My Fair Lady_ coming on here?"

Justin smacked him softly on the side of his neck. "Stop it! You know what I mean."

Brian chuckled slightly, thoroughly enjoying his partner's look of exasperation. His face softened as he admitted, "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Oh, and by the way, I don't snore, Mr. Taylor."

Justin snorted. "Well, Mr. Deviated Septum, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then trust me, it's a duck."

"You've been watching too much Judge Judy again, haven't you?" He laughed as Justin scowled at him, causing Justin's face, too, to break out into a conceding smile of his own. "You think we can dispense with the television reviews for now and move onto some serious fucking now?" He glanced down at his Rolex watch as he told Justin, "We have exactly ten hours, 22 minutes, and 13 seconds to satisfy an urgent need I'm experiencing before my jet leaves tomorrow morning."

"Well, I won't break out in song from _My Fair Lady _if you don't channel Peter, Paul, and Mary."

Brian laughed, that wonderful deep sort of amused laugh that he rarely bestowed on anyone except Justin as he nodded. "Deal," he told his lover before Brian slammed their bodies closer together; Justin could feel Brian's desire for him through his lover's thin linen dress pants and as always it gave him such a feeling of power that he held that sort of control over this magnificent man.

"Well, then we'd better get busy, hadn't we?" he murmured as they came together for another deep kiss. "We've lost out on at least sixty seconds of fucking already."

Brian grinned; taking Justin by the hand, he paused just long enough to grab the remaining bottle of red wine before the two of them walked hand in hand to the bedroom, knowing as always their reunion would be far too fleeting until the next time but secure in their love to know that one day, one glorious day, they wouldn't be apart anymore.

* * *

_A/N: For those of you waiting for my story updates, they're coming! The update to "My Heart's Desire" will be up soon. I just spent five days in the hospital, so that is the reason for the longer delay in between updates. I am feeling much better now, though, so the updates will be coming! Thank you for bearing with me in the meantime - hope you enjoy this brief interlude in the meantime.:) _


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